Cookie Extravaganza!

Our 5th grade students had the chance to bless our community with free cookies yesterday. The students took cookies to local firehouses and police stations as a way to thank them for their service. They also stood out in front of a local grocery store to give out bags of cookies to shoppers, and gave some to nearby businesses. They gave out a total of 130 bags of cookies! We had lots of surprised shoppers, and a few even came back later to thank us again! It's hard for people to believe that we are actually giving away something completely for free, with no strings attached. The students had a great time blessing people and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

Phoenix - Day 2

It has been a very busy day and trying to post updates without wifi isn't working very well. Again, we'll post a short note and add pictures when we can upload pictures easier.

This morning, we worked with the Arms of Love foster care organization to put on a Christmas party for foster families. We estimate there were about 300 families who came to the party over the course of three hours. Two hours before the party started, we helped to get everything set up and organized. There was a pancake breakfast, 10-12 craft stations and 4 bouncers, along with a "store" where the children could pick a present for their siblings. After the set up time, the families arrived. Our assignment was to run the bouncy houses and help with the gift wrapping in the store. After the families left, we also helped with the tearing down and putting everything back in its place. The whole foster family party was amazing! We felt very blessed to have even a small part in such a great ministry!

This afternoon, we got to go to a local retirement home and participate in a worship service run by Phoenix Dream Center. The students helped with the music, heard some amazing testimonies from several people in the Dream Center's recovery program, and had the privilege to visit with and pray for many retirement home residents.

This evening, we attended a worship service at Arizona Community Church, followed by dinner at In & Out Burger. It has been a great trip! We're excited to get back and upload some of the pictures so you can see a little of what we've experienced.

Finally, we have pictures from Saturday! Enjoy!

Foster Family Party:

Making example crafts

More example crafts

Unpackaging Hot Wheels for the children

Arranging toys in the store for the foster kids to give to their siblings

In the toy store with the motorcycle group that donated the toys

Helping wrap the presents the foster kids chose

Enjoying the petting zoo

Basketball game

Bungee cord bouncer

How far can you reach??

Made it out!

Even a bouncer for the little ones!

Supervising the bouncers

 Nursing Home:

Singing Worship Songs

Visiting with the Residents

Visiting with Residents

Some of the girls visiting with a resident

Saturday Evening:

All of us

Evening Devotional

Thinking hard about the devotional

Part of the Electric Light Parade we got to see as a bonus!

Phoenix Fun at the Park

We arrived safely in Phoenix this afternoon and got ready for our outreach at the park. We'd like to share a few pictures of our students playing games with the neighborhood children. Everyone had a great time! After playing games, the neighborhood children heard a message about respecting all people and being good leaders. They also practiced four important things everyone should know in life: God loves me, I have sinned, Jesus died for my sins, I must decide to live my life for God.

After getting back to the church where we're staying, we had our own devotions with a demonstration of one student trying to make a peanut butter cracker without using any muscles. Seems like an impossible task, but her friends came to the rescue and did it for her! Then we talked about how we also need to be ready and available when God calls us to serve. 

Note: We don't have wifi and all our pictures aren't uploading. We'll add the rest to this post later!

Finally, we can add pictures! The following are all from the outreach at the park.

Puzzle station:

Making Salvation Story Bracelets:

 

Games with Pom Poms:

Cookie Face Race:

Cup Stacking:

 Story Time: 

7th graders with some friends during the Bible story

8th graders watching for good listeners during the Bible Story

Chatting with a friend

Getting Ready to Go!

                                        

Yesterday the students learned the games they will be playing with the children at the park. Please pray that our students will connect with the children at the park and have lots of opportunities to show them, both with words and actions, how much Jesus loves them.

We'll be traveling most of the day on Friday. Check back Saturday morning for an update on the park outreach. We appreciate your support so much!

Phoenix 2017!

We are gearing up for our next adventure... a mission trip to Phoenix, Arizona!

24 of our middle school students, parents, and teachers will converge on Phoenix for a weekend of ministry and fun. We will be helping the Phoenix Dream Center with two different outreaches. One will be ministering to low income children at a neighborhood park. We will feed them dinner, play games with them, and share the love of God with them. We will also visit a nursing home and spend time with the residents there. Our largest outreach will be with Arms of Love Foster Care. We will be helping with a large Christmas party for foster families. The students will help the foster children with games, crafts, and activities. It should be a fun time!

Please be praying for us as we prepare for our trip and travel to Phoenix. Check back on this blog from December 1st - 3rd for pictures and updates about our group. Please leave comments to encourage the students as well! We appreciate your support as we seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our nation!

Be it ever so humble...

It was a marathon of a traveling day: getting up at 4:30 am to pack and load up for the four hour drive back to San Pedro Sula, through customs, on to Houston, through customs again, and finally to Albuquerque safe and sound. Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home... 

 

Last group shot of the tired and weary international travelers!